Tamasha

I left my house at around 2:30 pm. On reaching the street where my polling station was located, I noticed that there were no camps of Pakistan Peoples Party or MMA. Only the MQM camps were there and only their volunteers were present and in big numbers. I reched my polling station and surprisingly there were no polling agents of any other party but MQM. A huge number of MQM’s supporters were present inside the polling station. Since my all my relatives had always been devoted MQM supporters. Every one there thought that I am definitely going to vote MQM. They laughed when I showed my Identity card. They even asked me if I would like to cast another vote. I saw a 30 plus guy showing a pink slip of paper to presiding officer and getting a ballot paper without showing any identity card.

MQM’s volunteers were not only disturbing the polling process they were even spying on the polling booths. When I went inside to stamp on the ballot paper, a twenty plus guy was watching my ballot paper. I asked him to look away and when he disappeared I stamped my ballot papers. Dropped ballot papers in ballot boxes. I sat there with other MQM volunteers (they were all guys from my neighbourhood, some were relatives, cousins, etc.) no one asked me to leave the polling station and I saw many people coming showing identity cards of their dead relatives and casting votes. Many people came showing pink papers and casting votes, many people were accompanied by councillors, naib nazims, and MQM supporters.

When I was leaving the polling station I saw a forgein election observer accompanied by a Pakistani man and a woman. I thought for a while that may be I should talk to her, but then decided that it will be such a waste of time, she must have known whats going on by now.

Its quite clear now that Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig has lost to Khushbakh Shujaat of MQM. What I don’t understand is that why MQM bothered to stage bogus votes when it was already quite clear that they would win easily?

Update: Dr. Alvi reports rigging in Gulistan-e-Johar Karachi. He noticed the same things that I have mentioned above.

I left my house at around 2:30 pm. On reaching the street where my polling station was located, I noticed that there were no camps of Pakistan Peoples Party or MMA. Only the MQM camps were there and only their volunteers were present and in big numbers. I reched my polling station and surprisingly there […]

City District Government of Karachi has banned Plastic shopping bags. During last few days the CDGK took strict action against the manufacturers of these Plastic bags, resellers and distributors. CDGK’s action has resulted into an acute shortage of paper bags, rubber bands and other packing materials that are widely used by local grocery stores and shop keepers. The shop keepers are facing difficulty to come up with some quick alternate to plastic bags.

There is no doubt that these plastic bags are dangerous for the environment and managing them with the garbage is real trouble for CDGK. Since there is no proper system of handling and disposing garbage, these plastic bags cause damage to city’s infrastructure such as electric and water supply and sewerage system.

It takes almost 500 to 1000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. It is possible to recycle plastic bags but it is an expansive solution for a city like Karachi. These plastic bags are so cheap that once used, there is no incentive for people to reuse them again. Every shop keeper, store and retailer offers a free bag with almost every thing. From Large electrical appliances to ice cream vendors, every one offers shopping bag for no extra cost. When mixed with other garbage these plastic bags create a huge mess of pollution. Even the developed nations are facing difficulty combating the disposal and recycling of plastic shopping bags.

The advantages of banning the plastic bags are unlimited. However, there are still some concerns over such an immediate action. This is a huge industry the ban would affect thousands of people involved in manufacturing, distribution and resell of these bags. Mass usage of Paper bags is itself not an environment friendly idea but these bags are easy to recycle and they get easily decomposed naturally.

City District Government of Karachi has banned Plastic shopping bags. During last few days the CDGK took strict action against the manufacturers of these Plastic bags, resellers and distributors. CDGK’s action has resulted into an acute shortage of paper bags, rubber bands and other packing materials that are widely used by local grocery stores and […]

The Google Zeitgeist now shows popular queries from Pakistan. In January 2007, the most popular query made by Pakistanis is Pakistan itself. Yes, the country we live in is just as mysterious and unknown to us as it is for any European or African.

We don’t really have any stars and celebrities of our own in Pakistan. The only Pakistani who made it to top 15 search queries, is Atif Aslam defeated by Sania Mirza the Indian tennis star.

Karina Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Aishwarya Rai, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and bollywood itself is one of the most popular queries made by Pakistanis. No matter how much Pakistanis love Bollywood and Indian Stardust, the search term Urdu is the eighth most popular query.

Karachi is the eleventh most popular search term, warid at 12 and Jang got the 13th position.

The Google Zeitgeist now shows popular queries from Pakistan. In January 2007, the most popular query made by Pakistanis is Pakistan itself. Yes, the country we live in is just as mysterious and unknown to us as it is for any European or African.
We don’t really have any stars and celebrities of our own […]

Pakistan is entering into a new era of prosperity. The country has internet access in almost all cities. There are computer labs in schools and colleges, every other day you would see some government officer inaugrating a new computer lab in some school or college. Musharraf’s government is proud that they have made so many TV channels available to Pakistanis. All medium to large size companies, institutions and organizations have some www address printed on their business cards, posters and advertisements.

But I feel that we as a nation are absolutely clueless about what information is and how important role it plays in the development of nations. We know that our organizations, businesses or institutes need a www.myorganization.com.pk website. But we have no idea how to use the world wide web. We have fruits in our hands but we don’t know that in order to enjoy their juices we need to bite them. In 2006 Pakistanis can not download your utility bills. Even after yeas of hard work to bring these small but significant changes to lives of Pakistanis, we failed.

Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC), is a Pakistani company with a www.kesc.com.pk domain name. KESC supplies electricity to more than 14 Million residents, businesses and industries in the Megapolis and surrounding areas. This giant corporation’s website has only three links on their main page. Rest of the page is an screenshot of a website and is displayed in Gif image format. I remember KESC had a functional website sometime ago and I have downloaded my electricity bill from their website. I remember they had detailed information available. Now every thing is gone.

The Website has a picture telling visitors that KESC has 92 customer services centers, but no addresses, telephone numbers or email addresses available. A picture titled “Latest News” tells you about Federal Minister Mr. Liaquat Jatoi’s visit to KESC headquarters on 29 September 2006, nothing more on that is available.

I don’t know how many Bills KESC issues each month, but this URL is printed on the back of each KESC bill. I don’t know how many people make an attempt to look at the KESC website each day or month. But I find it quite suprising that they are so careless about all this.

The website (a poster actually) doesn’t disclose any contact information so I was unable to contact people who are responsible for this job at KESC. It has a link at the bottom telling that the website designed and maintained by e-Creatorz. I filled out the contact form on the e-creatorz website on January 19 and asked them about the situation. They didn’t disclose or clarify anything, simple told me to wait till the website is relaunched hopefully in a few days. Now after a month, www.KESC.com.pk still displays the flyer that you can get created by the graphic designers at Burns Road for RS.100. I don’t blame e-Creatorz for getting more money than they deserved. I blame KESC for being so cruel, barbaric and ignorant.

KESC and all Pakistanis who can not understand the importance of information, the broken websites, useless and contentless macromedia flashy websites, and the 30 minutes per week per student computer labs. These are the signs that Pakistan is not entering into any new era of prosperity. We are actually going back in the reverse gear. Yes we are making progress and working hard but in the wrong and totally opposite direction than the one that leads to knowledge, power and freedom.

Pakistan is entering into a new era of prosperity. The country has internet access in almost all cities. There are computer labs in schools and colleges, every other day you would see some government officer inaugrating a new computer lab in some school or college. Musharraf’s government is proud that they have made so many […]

I went to cast my vote in the by-poll election of National Assembly’s NA-250 seat. Army’s B team, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal boycotted the election blaming government of pre-poll rigging. Pakistan People’s Party’s Nafees Siddiqui had support from various parties in ARD (Alliance for Restoration of Democracy) but MMA prefered not to support him and boycott the election.

There is no doubt that MQM’s candidate Ikhlaq Hussain is going to win this selection. There were MQM workers every where in and outside polling stations they ran a huge campaign and used government resources for their campaigning. They have great media relations, they spend huge amounts on advertisements. Still, MMA’s compromise with PPP had the potential to change the entire scenario. At least in this constituency where Jamat-e-Islami always had a strong vote bank.

Pictures, please click to enlarge:

My polling station was Government college for Women, Shahra-e-liaquat. I loved the campus, I didn’t know it is so big and beautiful. The boundary wall of the college is so high that it hides not only the girls but also the beauty of the campus.

Men’s polling booth

Election comission had the list of candidates on display at every polling booth. Some dil-jala PPP worker had used a pen on this list to write “Has Already Won” with the name of MQM’s candidate Captain Ikhlaq Hussain.

The same list again

There were MQM workers every where in and outside polling stations. They were providing free shuttle services to voters. I didn’t see any PPP workers around, those who were sitting at the camps lacked the enthusiasm and energy.

This Pakistan People’s Party’s polling camp. The workers were enjoying free Biryani and there were no young people around.

MMA’s election office locked down.

I went to cast my vote in the by-poll election of National Assembly’s NA-250 seat. Army’s B team, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal boycotted the election blaming government of pre-poll rigging. Pakistan People’s Party’s Nafees Siddiqui had support from various parties in ARD (Alliance for Restoration of Democracy) but MMA prefered not to support him and boycott the […]

Kajra Re, University of Karachi Department of Food Sciences:

Sir Jahanzeb Farewell Song:

Lunch break Party in Office

Khaike Pan Banaras Wala

Kajra Re, University of Karachi Department of Food Sciences:

Sir Jahanzeb Farewell Song:

Lunch break Party in Office

Khaike Pan Banaras Wala

Explaining social schizophrenia Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s excellent analysis of social schizophrenia of the Bahawalpuri society. How the puritanical religion has affected the Bahwalpur. Ayesha Siddiqa is the author of forthcoming book Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy

Election of the president – a legal analysis It has been argued that how can an assembly which has been elected for a period of five years elect a president for 10 years.

Islands for the rich and famous.

In recent years residents of Karachi have been facing a great deal of problems due to the increase in traffic, pollution, crime and lack of other basic amenities. Such a project would allow the crème de la crème to distinguish themselves from the millions of middle-class people in the city who have now, according to one socialite, turned it into a ‘shit-hole’.

Karachi police has obtained a toll free number for street crime unit. The number is 0800-91515 and it would start functioning soon. The plan is to connect with the CPLC and PTA’s existing systems. This would help the victims of street crime to quickly report the crime so that police can take action before the criminals reach safe heavens. It is particularly useful against robberies, motor cycle and car jacking, and mobile snatching.

Chalo Chalo Dubai Chalo

Gnome Hacks, is a repository for all those little tricks that people have worked out that do something useful or cool with their GNOME Desktop.

Explaining social schizophrenia Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s excellent analysis of social schizophrenia of the Bahawalpuri society. How the puritanical religion has affected the Bahwalpur. Ayesha Siddiqa is the author of forthcoming book Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy
Election of the president – a legal analysis It has been argued that how can an assembly which has […]

Karachi’s new police chief is shocked at city’s traffic conditions. Azhar Ali Farouqi just returned from a five year leave during which he lived in London, Germany and America where he studied their “police and legal systems”. Where is former Police Cheif Tariq Jameel? He is fighting NAB, Jameel is charged with taking a heavy bribe for the transfer and posting of SHOs and DSPs, for having relations with underworld don Shoaib Khan, the absconding owners of the Schon Group and making a huge investment and buying property in Dubai beyond his known sources of income. This and our new Vilayat Palat Police Cheif is only shocked at the traffic conditions.

USAID is working on Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project with Pakistan’s National and Provincial Assemblies. Just few days ago the first Parliamentary Information Technology Resource Centre (PITRC) was inaugrated at the Sindh Assembly. During the inaugration, some one stole project director Eleanor Valentine’s laptop.

May be we have lots of theives, terrorists, and thugs in Pakistan. But we also have some good people:

The firefighters in Karachi has become true heroes. Every one is talking about their bravery, courage and sacrifice. Every one is talking about fire department, safety of public and firefighters.Tamashbeen salutes these men who lost their lives while saving others.

There were more than 500 articles on Google news about the captured Taliban spokesman who claimed that, Mullah Omar is protected by ISI and he is living in Quetta. Pakistani Interior Minister denied the claim.In other news, United States’ National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said in testimony before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee that “we all agree that the question of a sanctuary for the Taliban in Pakistan is problematic.”

Mushahid Hussain, chairman of Pakistani senate’s foreign relations committee responded saying: “We have a very poor opinion on the track record of American intelligence in the region. There has been a string of failures in American intelligence… The Americans have not named a single Al Qaida leader who might be in Pakistan”.

Karachi’s new police chief is shocked at city’s traffic conditions. Azhar Ali Farouqi just returned from a five year leave during which he lived in London, Germany and America where he studied their “police and legal systems”. Where is former Police Cheif Tariq Jameel? He is fighting NAB, Jameel is charged with taking a heavy […]